FIRST TRILATERAL MEETING OF CHIEF PROSECUTORS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, SERBIA AND CROATIA HELD IN SARAJEVO WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROTOCOL ON COOPERATION IN PROSECUTION OF WAR CRIMES. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES AND FURTHER COOPERATION IN SEVERAL CASES AGR

This is the first meeting, following the signing of the protocol, where representatives of all three prosecutor’s offices are present, which is a positive step in strengthening of cooperation.

At the beginning of the meeting the attendees were welcomed by representatives of the Legal Department of the EU Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have supported the cooperation between the prosecutors’ offices in the region aiming to support the establishment of the rule of law and strengthening of the process of peace building and reconciliation in  the countries of the region.

Cooperation achieved in specific cases was discussed at the meeting, as well as modalities of cooperation in the future aiming to maximize the expediting of prosecution of war crimes perpetrators.

Chief Prosecutors emphasized that they will continue with the cooperation so as to prevent that the suspects/accused persons hide from prosecution with the help of the citizenship of another country, and have underlined that this cooperation will be intensified.

It was concluded that liaison officers are to be appointed in order to improve and enhance the technical aspects of the communication between the prosecutor’s offices.

Cooperation strengthening between the prosecutor’s offices is a positive step that is supported in the conclusions of the structural dialogue on judicial reform and the cooperation itself was deemed as positive by the European Union and is viewed as a major step in the process of establishing the rule of law in the region within the process of European integration.